Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 38, Number 7, 1 Iulai 2021 — Aloha mai kākou, [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Aloha mai kākou,

V 'OLELO A KA POUHANA < ^ MESSAGE FROM THE CEO *

PAUSING T0 REFLECT No'ono'o (nvt. Thought, reflection, thinlcing, meditation.)

As a child growing up in Kohala, summer meant a "pause" in our family's normal school and work routines - a time for the kids to attend summer fun and for our extended 'ohana to spend weeks together camping at Spencer Beach Park in Kawaihae. It was so mueh fun. All the kids slept crowded together in tents. As soon as the sun was up, we were in the oeean, splashing in the clear, crystalline water with the heaeh all to ourselves. Invariably, someone would step on wana while playing in the oeean, or get a kiawe thorn stuck in their rubber slipper while running through our eamp grounds, but that did not deter us or ruin our fun. Thinking about those summers in Kohala reminds me that taking time to pause and reflect, to quiet our minds and just "be" is healthy - even Ke Akua took time to rest. Midway through 2021, and about 18 months into the pandemic, seems like a good time to do that. Back in July 2020, daily infection and death counts weighed heavily upon us. COVID19 disrupted every aspect of our lives. Beyond fear of the disease itself - whieh has now killed a shocking 3.8 million people - eeonomie systems were devastated, resulting in job loss and extreme hnaneial hardship and hunger for the most vulnerable among us. Social distancing left many people isolated and lonely; depression, anxiety and domestic violence increased. Fast forward and July 2021 looks very different. Although the pandemic is not over and we must remain vigilant, vaccines are now available that ean protect us from eontracting or dying from this disease. Many businesses have now reopened with safety protocols in plaee, social interaction with friends and extended 'ohana has resumed, and this summer defmitely feels more "normal" than the last one. The pandemic held humanity hostage and as we slowly emerge from its grip, what

have we learned about about ourselves and our community? What roles did our 'ohana and mo'omeheu (culture) play in keeping us resilient? How did that influence the organic efforts in every kaiāulu (community) to mālama those who were struggling, especially our kūpuna? And what have we learned about the way the 'āina recovers from too mueh of us - and how do we apply all of this 'ike as we move forward? Mālama 'āina and mālama olakino (health) feature prominently in this issue ofKa Wai Ola. A new document, Mai Ka Pō Mai, the fruit of a collaboration between government agencies and private citizens, scientists and cultural practioners, lays the groundwork for management of Papahānaumokuākea in a way that is culturally appropriate and

environmentally sound. We also detail the Heahh Outcomes outlined in OT Mana i Mauli Ola Strategic Plan, learn about the Kanile hua Framework for culturally based mental heahh, and hear from Kaua'i physician Kapono Chong-Hanssen who addresses 'Ōiwi who remain skeptical about the

COVID-19 vaccine. And finally, we reflect on the origin and revitalization of Lā Ho'iho'i Ea, Hawai'i's first national holiday celebrated on July 31, and what it means to us today.

Ua mau ke ea o ka 'aina i ka pono. ■

Sylvia M. Hussey, Ed.D. Ka Pouhana/Chief Executive 0fficer